Dispensing carton with pouring spout



E. F. PARKER 2,861,732

DISPENSING CARTON WITH POURING SPOUT Nov. 25, 1958 Filed Nov. 5, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 1 E3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS NOV. 25, 1958 PARKER 2,861,732

DISPENSING CARTON WITH POURING SPOUT Filed Nov. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2L INVENTOR [Zr/k150i ATTORNEYS United States Patent DISPENSING CARTONWITH POURING SPOUT Edwin F. Parker, Stillwater, Okla.

Application November 3, 1954, Serial No. 466,513

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) This invention relates to cartons of paper,cardboard or other suitable sheet material, having a pouring spout,adapted to contain and dispense fluent materials in such forms aspowder, granules, flakes, liquids, etc.

The invention has for its object to provide a carton having an integralpouring spbut at its upper end developed from flaps overfolded from thetops of the opposite side panels of the carton and the intervening endpanel, into the plane of the top of the carton, said pouring spout beingfoldable fiat into said plane, the remaining side panel having a flapoverfolded from its top so as to engage the underlying flaps, beingcongruent therewith and adhered thereto, and having a tongue overlyingsaid pouring spout, delineated by a line of weakness, and which byrupture of said overfolded flap along said line of weakness, may belifted to give access to said pouring spout.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following descriptionof a practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the followingspecification, and in which the same reference characters have been usedto denote identical parts:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for a carton embodying the principlesof the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a carton set up from the blank shownin Figure 1 showing the pouring spout expanded, and having the end wallpartly broken away to show the lapping side flaps;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of a blank differing from Figure 1in that the pouring spout is truncated,

providing a wider mouth;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a carton embodying thetruncated pouring spout, showing the latter closed and undertucked;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a carton showing amodification of the wide mouth construction of the pouring spout;

Figure 6 is a plan view' of a modified blank for producing the cartonshown in Figure 7;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a carton set up from the blank shownin Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the blank 1, shown inFigure 1, from which the carton shown in Figure 2 is set up, is formedwith parallel'fold lines 2 and 3, defining respectively the top andbottom edges of the side panels 4 and 5 and the end panels 6 and 7.Parallel fold lines 8, 9, 10 and 11 delineate the side edges of the endand side panels which, in the form shown, are rectangular. A glue flap'12 extends along the free edge of the panel 7, which in the set upcarton, is united to the free margin of the panel 4.

The blank 1 extends above the fold line 2 and below the fold line 3, theextensions being concerned with the structure of the top and bottomwalls of the container. The lower extension is conventional, beingrectangular and divided by slits 14 into separate side and end flaps2,861,732 Patented Nov. 25, 1958 15 and 16, interfoldable to form aplural ply bottom. The terms side and end, referring to the flaps,indicate that they extend from corresponding side and end panels.

The structure which is comprehended by the present invention is relatedaltogether to the upper extension. This is divided into side flaps 17and 18, and end flaps 19 and 20. The end flap 20 is separated from theadjacent side of flap 18 by a slit 21 aligned with the fold line 10. Theside flaps 17 and 18 are trapezoidal in shape and the end flap 19 hasthe form of an isosceles triangle. Said side flaps are connected to saidend flap by bellows pleats 22 and 23. These have apical fold lines 24and 25 (see Figures 1 and 2), which in the flat blank are rectilinearextensions of the fold lines 8 and 9.

The bellows pleats are integrally joined to the side flaps along thefold lines 26 and 26' and to the end flap 19 along fold lines 27 and27?. The groups of fold lines 24, 26 and 27 and 25, 26 and 27, meetrespectively at points at the ends of the base line 29 of the end flap19, the angles between said lines being 45, so that when the pouring lipis folded flat in the plane of the top of the carton, the fold lines 26and 26' will lie in said plane, making an angle of 45 with the base line29, so that their point of mutual intersection 30 lies in the mediallongitudinal line through the top wall of the carton. An isoscelestriangle is thus defined in the plane of the top wall of the cartonwhich is the same size as the end flap 19 and against which the end flap19 can rest congruently.

In the set up carton, as shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that the endfiap 19 forms the floor of the pouring spout 30', and the bellows pleatsform the lateral collapsible sides of said pouring spout. In thetransition of the pouring spout from open to collapsed or closedposition, the dihedral angles between the sides of the bellows pleatsare reversed. Viewed from the outside of the pouring spout when open,the dihedral angles are salient, that is, they project outwardly. Tocollapse the pouring spout, it is necessary only to push the sidesinward sufiiciently to cause the said dihedral angles to assume are-entrant phase. When this is done, the apical fold lines 24 and 25automatically move toward a posi tion of coincidence with the hinge line29 through the inherent resiliency of the material.

It will be noted that the bellows pleats are formed with free marginalportions 31 and 31' projecting beyond the broken line a-b, Figure 1,which represents the longitudinal medial line through the end of thecarton. In the form shown, these marginal portions form with the line abisosceles triangles of which one has a greater altitude than the other,as for example, the portion 31. While the spout would close and opensuccessfully if the altitudes of the marginal portions were of equallength, the points will frequently meet in the same plane, requiringthat one be pressed below the other in order to proceed with thecollapsing of the pouring spout. Therefore, it may be advantageous tohave the altitudes of the marginal portions of unequal length, as shown,since the shorter point will slide more easily under the longer whenmoving toward the open or closed positions.

Furthermore, in attempting to open the pouring spout with one hand, inthe conventional manner by squeezing the opposite corners of the cartonso as to put a stress through the pouring spout, if the marginalportions were of equal altitude the points would be constrained to movein equal arcs, and since one is below the other, the overlying portionwould obstruct the path of movement of the underlying point.

The projecting portions 31 and 31' lap in the closed position of thepouring spout, their engaging surfaces forming a seal. When the closedpouring spout is folded flat in the plane of the end of the carton, thelapping portion which has an embracing relation to the other portion istensioned, while the embraced portion is stressed in compression. Theengaging surfaces are thus pressed together and the efficiency of theseal increased to the extent that it becomes at least dus'tproof.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the side flap 18 iswider than the side flap 17, so that when the carton is set up and theside flaps are side by side in the top wall of the carton, their freeedges 37 and 37' form an overlap. The length of said free edges is suchthat the overlap extends over the point 39, the point of mutualintersection of the fold lines 26 and 26 when the pouring spout iscollapsed. Now, in the folding together and fixing of the severallaminations which form the top wall of the carton, the overlap becomesfixed in the plane of the top wall. The ends of the bellows pleats whichare adjacent the point 3% are held down beneath the overlying portion ofsaid fixed overlap. In order to permit the bellows pleats to rise out ofthe plane of the top wall in expanding the pouring spout, it isnecessary to cut off from the main portions of said bellows pleats theparts which are beneath the overlap. This is done by providing the slots36 at two places on the blank, as shown in Figure l, which slotsregister in the set up carton, forming a single slot, as shown in Figure2.

Since the apical end 28 of the pouring spout coincides with the point30, said apical portion may be passed through the slot 36 and tuckedaway beneath the end of the overlap, so as to be held down by saidoverlap.

The final closure of the carton is effected by means of the end flap 20.This has the shape and size of the end of the carton and after havingfirst been covered with adhesive on its under side, it is folded downcongruently with the upper end of the carton and in surface adhesionwith the side flaps and with the outer side of the floor of the pouringspout, that is, with the end flap 19. By the use of a suitable adhesivefor pasting down the end flap 20, the carton may be'made proof againstliquid leakage.

The end flap 20 is formed with an integral tongue 32 above the floor ofthe pouring spout and in adhesion therewith, preferably at leastcoextensive in area with the floor of the pouring spout and delineatedby a line of weakness 33, which may be a perforated line. Said line ofweakness also defines a finger tab 34 which overlies the apex 28 of thepouring spout and extends somewhat beyond it. Said tab is part of thetongue 32. Since the apex of the pouring spout has the thickness ofseveral plies, it forms a high spot outstanding from the surface of theend of the carton. For this reason, the adhesion of the overlying tab tothe immediate underlying structure is less perfect than that of thesurrounding glue interface so that by the rupturing of that part of theline of weakness which defines the tab, with some instrument such as thepoint of a knife, the tab can be readily raised, and by pulling on thetab the tongue, which is firmly adhered to the floor of the pouringspout, may be lifted, bringing with it the pouring spout which is thusunfolded into its open or operative position.

A line of weakness 35 crosses the tongue 32 at the base of the tab sothat the latter may be torn off from the rest of the tongue, if desired,to prevent its being in the way of material being poured from the spout.In re-sealing the pouring spout, the user merely tucks the apex 28 ofthe pouring spout into the slot 36 and beneath the end of the adjacentunderlying side flap extension.

Referring now to Figure 3, this shows a portion of the blank illustratedin Figure 1, in which the mouth of the pouring spout instead ofterminating in an apex is truncated, as shown, by cutting off the apicalportion of the end flap 19 to form the transverse edge 43, and divertingat least parts of the free edges of the adjacent sides of the pleatflaps to meet the ends of said edge.

As the edge 43 is closer to the base of the end panel 19 when thepouring spout is closed, than is the apex 28 in Figure l, obviously, theunderlying side flap extended portion must extend to a point closer tothe base of end flap 19 in order to be in a position to be undertuckedby the month end of the pouring spout, this being illustrated in Figure4.

A modified form of pouring spout is shown in Figure 5, in which thefloor of the pouring spout constituted by the end flap 19 preserves itstriangular form, retaining the apex 2%, which is adapted to be tuckedbeneath the adjacent end of the underlying flap extension shown inFigures 1 and 2, in order to give width to the mouth. Sides of the pleatflaps are cut off adjacent the apex along the fold lines between the endflap 19 and said sides, providing spaces 44 laterally of the apical endof the pouring spout through which material is discharged, as well asover the apex.

Figure 6 shows the blank of a modified form of carton, which is similarto the blank shown in Figure l in most respects, including the provisionof side flaps so constructed that both of them extend beyond the mediallongitudinal line through the top of the carton, but differing to theextent that the underlapping extension projects into the throat of theopen pouring spout from above, forming a stop for holding back lumps ofmaterial which it is not desired to dispense.

Referring in detail to the blank in Figure 6, it includes side flaps 17and 18, end flaps 19 and 2t), and bellows pleats 22 and 22, theseelements being essentially the same as those shown in Figure l. The sideflap 13 has the extending portion 39, which like the corresponding partin Figure 1 terminates in an end edge that intersects the base corner 45of the adjacent bellows pleat, said edge being perpendicular to the foldline 2. The side flap 17 has an extended portion 46 formed with aprolongation 47 which extends for an appreciable distance along theadjacent side of the projecting portion 31', being Separated from saidside by a slit coinciding with said side, so that the prolongation 4-7does not participate in the folding of the pouring spout, but remainssubstantially planiform with the side flap 17, from which it emanates.In the carton set up from this blank the extended portion 46 underliesthe extended portion 39 and the closed pouring lip is between them, theapex 28 of the pouring lip tucking beneath the end of the extendedportion 39 and the prolongation 47 projecting into the spaceconstituting the throat of the pouring lip, this being shown in Figure7, in which the pouring lip is open, the prolongation being positionedso as to intercept and hold back lumps of minimum size, which size isdetermined by the length of the prolongation.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be apractical embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the specific details of construction andarrangement of parts, as shown and described, are by way of example andnot to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a carton having opposite side and opposite end panels, a topconstruction which includes infolded side flaps hinged to the sidepanels and a convergent end flap hinged at its base to the interveningend panel, bellows pleats between said end flap and the adjacent sideflaps, said pleats and end flap constituting a pouring spout of whichsaid end flap forms the floor and said pleats the sides, said pleatsbeing collapsed against the floor in the closed position of said pouringspout, at least one of said side panels being wider than half the widthof said top construction whereby said side panels form a lap in thelongitudinal middle region of said top construction, said pleats eachincluding a pair of facets folded re-entrantly in the closed position ofsaid pouring spout, their adjacent angles being equal whereby the foldlines of the corresponding facets of each pair coincide and convergetoward coincident apices, the apex of the underlying facets beingoverlain by said lap, said underlying facets being transversely dividedby a slot adjacent and outside the overlying end of said lap, to freethe parts of said underlying facets not overlain by said lap from therestraint imposed by said lap, said slot providing access for tuckingthe apex of said pouring spout beneath said lap.

2. In a carton having opposite side and opposite end panels, a topconstruction which includes infolded side flaps hinged to the sidepanels and a convergent end flap hinged at its base to the interveningend panel, bellows pleats between said end flap and the adjacent sideflaps, said pleats and end flap constituting a pouring spout of whichsaid end flap forms the floor and said pleats the sides, said pleatsbeing collapsed against the floor in the closed position of said pouringspout, at least one of said side panels being wider than half the widthof said top construction whereby said side panels form a lap in thelongitudinal middle region of said top construction, said pleats eachincluding a pair of facets folded re-entrantly in the closed position ofsaid pouring spout, their adjacent angles being equal whereby the foldlines of the corresponding facets of each pair coincide and convergetoward coincident apices, the apex of the underlying facets beingoverlain by said lap, said underlying facets being transversely dividedby a slot adjacent and outside the overlying end of said lap, to freethe parts of said underlying facets not overlain by said lap from therestraint imposed by said lap, said slot providing access for tuckingthe apex of said pouring spout beneath said lap, and means for sealingsaid carton and protecting said pouring spout comprising an end flaphinged to the remaining end panel, the last named end flap being ofsubstantially the same shape and size as the top of said carton andoverfolded congruently therewith in surface engagement with the surfacesafforded by said side flaps and the floor of said pouring spout, andadhered to said surfaces, said last named flap having a tonguedelineated by a line of weakness, including the area of said flap whichoverlies said pouring spout, which tongue by rupture of said flap alongsaid line of weakness may be lifted, expanding said pouring spout.

3. In a carton having opposite side and opposite end panels, a topconstruction which includes infolded side flaps hinged to the sidepanels and a convergent end flap hinged at its base to the interveningend panel, bellows pleats between said end flap and the adjacent sideflaps, said pleats and end flap constituting a pouring spout of whichsaid end flap forms the floor and said pleats the sides, said pleatsbeing collapsed against the floor in the closed position of said pouringspout, at least one of said side panels being wider than half the widthof said top construction whereby said side panels form a lap in thelongitudinal middle region of said top construction, said pleats eachincluding a pair of facets folded reentrantly in the closed position ofsaid pouring spout, their adjacent angles being equal whereby the foldlines of the corresponding facets of each pair coincide and convergetoward coincident apices, the apex of the underlying facets beingoverlain by said lap, said underlying facets being transversely dividedby a slot adjacent and outside the overlying end of said lap, to freethe parts of said underlying facets not overlain by said lap from therestraint imposed by said lap, said slot providing access for tuckingthe apex of said pouring spout beneath said lap, and means for sealingsaid carton and protecting said pouring spout comprising an end flaphinged to the remaining end panel, said last named end flap being ofsubstantially the same shape and size as the top of said carton andoverfolded congruently therewith in surface engagement with said sideflaps and the floor of said pouring spout, and adhered thereto, saidlast named flap having a tongue delineated by a line of weakness,including the area of said flap which overlies said pouring spout, saidtongue including a tab overlying the apex of said pouring spout andhaving a line of weakness thereacross at the base of said tab alongwhich line said tab may be torn off, said tongue being freed by ruptureof said end flap along said line of weakness in the region of said tabwhereby said tongue may be lifed by said tab to expand said pouringspout.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,138,469 Goodkind May 4, 1915 2,205,068 Potter June 18, 1940 2,218,670Bennett Oct. 22, 1940' 2,300,703 Ray Nov. 3, 1942 2,337,730 Berch Dec.28, 1943 2,470,388 Ball May 17, 1949 2,731,188 Alden Ian. 17, 1956

